1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an ink storing device for use with an ink jet printer, and more particularly to such ink storing device in which the construction of storing means is improved.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Generally in a multi-color ink jet printer, cyan, magenta, yellow and black inks are used to effect a color output and ink tanks containing the respective inks therein are contained in discrete ink cassette cases which can be freely replaced with new ink cassette cases.
There is also adopted a construction in which the aforementioned four ink tanks are contained in a single ink cassette case.
The adoption of the structure in which the discrete ink cassette cases are provided necessitates providing a plurality of ink cassette cases and accordingly leads to a high cost and poor operability.
Also, the case where a plurality of ink tanks are contained within a single ink cassette case means that an ink tank in which the amount of ink consumption is great and ink tanks in which the amount of ink consumption is small are contained in a single ink cassette case, and in such case, it may happen that the ink cassette case must be replaced with a new one even when inks of other colors still remain in the ink tanks, and this may result in a waste of ink. Further, the fact that a plurality of ink tanks each requiring a predetermined volume are contained within a single ink cassette case leads to the bulkiness of the cassette case itself which means an economical disadvantage.